Game On 2.0

March 9 - September 2, 2013    -    Included with admission.


From Pong to Guitar Hero; the Ontario Science Centre will host Game On 2.0 with more than 150 playable games from across the history of the medium - including pinball games - as well as rarely-seen consoles, controllers and collectables.

The world’s largest celebration of video games making its first Canadian appearance, Game On 2.0 features game design, development, and production including multiplayer games, handheld devices, original concept and character art, and the history’s most influential arcade machines. Visitors will experience more than 60 years of video game entertainment and technology; from the very first commercial coin-operated game to the latest in virtual reality and 3D gaming.


 


Special Exhibition Features:

Game On 2.0 spans the full spectrum of video game history and culture, with interactive features for everyone. For a list of games included in the exhibition, click on each category below. Or for a complete list of games click here.

Early Games — Walk back in time learning what technological advances led to the first computer games. See vintage arcade games from the 60s, 70s and 80s including Pong, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Asteroids, and Space Invaders plus rare early artifacts and merchandise.

Top Ten — Look at the most important developments in gaming consoles from iconic brands Atari, Nintendo, Microsoft, Sega and Sony. 

Genre — Play a wide array of game styles and types, divided roughly by decade to reflect the era of production. This wholly interactive area features game varieties focused on thought, action and simulation.

Making & Marketing — Trace the development of six of the most important games of recent times, from conception to interface with the public including Grand Theft Auto, Pokémon, The Sims, Tomb Raider, Jak and Daxter, Uncharted 2 and Spore.

Game Culture Around the World — Investigate the way games reflect and influence wider culture and explore key game developers from North America to Europe. Also, learn the influence of Japanese games across the world and how they are culturally converted for broad usage.

Characters ­— See the two most impactful characters through their creators’ eyes. The development of Sonic, designed by Yuji Naka, and Mario, designed by Shigeru Miyamoto are both showcased as well as Lara Croft and Parappa the Rapper.

Kids —  Games designed for younger children include Big Bird's Egg Catch, Hey You Pikachu, Bob the Builder, Pokepark Wii - Pikachus Adventures. 

Portable Gaming — Grab a handheld game including Nintendo 3DS, Sony PSP and Wonderswan while learning the rich history of portable games.

Sound — Hear the importance of sound in game design; features early music from the 8, 16 and 32 bit eras including composers such as Nintendo’s Koji Kondo and the composer of World of Warcraft music, Jason Hayes. 

Cinema — Learn how cinema influences game design with specific examples of links between the media, including Star Wars and Tomb Raider.

Multiplayer & Online Gaming — Explore the social and community development aspects of online gaming, one of the most important trends in recent times. Featured are networked games often played simultaneously by thousands of people, including Bomberman and Halo Reach.

Magazines — View a rare selection of vintage gaming magazines, portraits of well-known gamers, and a range of emerging content and technology trends.

Futures — Discover the latest, newly released games and emerging technology developments. Updated at each exhibition opening, this section showcases up-to-the-minute breakthroughs in gaming advances.